AN MP last night called for legislation to protect vulnerable workers after the owner of the world’s oldest conservatory maker sacked hundreds of staff without warning.

Darlington MP Jenny Chapman said failing companies should be forced to give workers and their representatives more time to prepare for the impact of job losses.

She branded it as “scandalous”

that private equity firm Endless, which describes itself as “the UK’s leading turnaround investor”, so abruptly closed Amdega, in Darlington, ending 137 years of trading.

The decision has left staff unpaid, suppliers owed hundreds of thousands of pounds, and the taxpayer left to pick up the bill.

“I think it is far too easy for companies like Endless to throw the towel in and walk away from their responsibilities,”

said Mrs Chapman, who raised the matter in the House of Commons yesterday.

“They should have an obligation to give advance notice, enabling organisations that do care about the workforce, like the trades unions, to become involved, and for staff to make arrangements.

“For the recognised union at Amdega not to be consulted is unforgivable.”

Endless said it had invested £10m since buying the upmarket conservatory manufacturer last August and said the decision to call in the administrators was taken only 24 hours before staff were informed.

A spokesman described its decision as “unfortunate and unforeseeable”.

Mrs Chapman said: “For Darlington to have 200 people suddenly entering the jobs market is of great concern.

The Government must take action now.”

Up to 200 factory workers and an additional 150 people in the supply chain were given no warning before administrators arrived at Amdega’s Faverdale factory on Wednesday and told staff they had lost their jobs.

Some sub-contractors based in other parts of the country discovered the news by reading messages posted on social networking websites Facebook and Twitter.

Staff with up to 30 years of service have been told they will receive the Government’s statutory redundancy pay.

Office staff have not been paid for a month and some contractors have been chasing outstanding payments for up to five months.

Rival firms have told The Northern Echo they have already been approached by insurers to see if they can complete outstanding orders.

However, The Northern Echo has heard from Amdega workers, suppliers and customers, who allege: 􀁥 Staff were only told a week ago they could not take today off for the royal wedding because the firm was too busy; 􀁥 The company’s ten-year warranty exposed it to expensive repair costs; 􀁥 Some customers waited up to two years for repairs; 􀁥 Contractors’ concerns about the product were ignored; 􀁥 New recruits to Amdega’s complaints department quit after a week because of abuse from customers.

West Midlands-based Alan Fildes and his wife, Sandra, were sub-contracted by Amdega to repair conservatories.

“Since Endless took over, the after-sales service has left a lot to be desired,” said Mr Fildes, who is owed £11,000.

“You could see this coming.

I have arrived at jobs and had customers crying because it had taken two years to get a repair seen to.

“In my 11 years with them, I have seen the good and the bad times. It used to be a great company to work for.”

A former Amdega manager with more than 20 years’ service, who asked not to be named, said: “Endless has behaved disgracefully. They have left us in the lurch and yet they are allowed to go out and acquire more businesses as if nothing has happened.

“They gambled with our futures and just walked away.

“Staff had been working extra hours unpaid to help turn things around. If they had told us how bad the situation was, we would have done what we could to save the company. But we were kept in the dark.”

Stewart Anderson, a former employee who set up computer design business Rogue Pixel Studios, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, which carried out work for Amdega, is owed £1,600.

He said: “They were still sending me work the day before they went bust.”